Ravi Shankar Prasad to Rahul Gandhi: ‘Your tweet must have become news in Pakistan’

Prasad alleged that Rahul has a “close relationship” with China, referring to the time he visited the China Embassy during the Dokhlam standoff and also when he met Chinese ministers during his Kailash Mansarovar trip.

“Would the Congress party adopt a different voice even in the case of a cruel killer and a global terrorist Masood Azhar?” he said.

The Union Minister also said, “Foreign policy is a serious issue, not determined by tweeting. Please see whether there are pitfalls in the course you are taking, Mr Rahul Gandhi. In 2009, during UPA II, China raised a technical objection to the listing of Azhar. Did you tweet then? Or make a comment? Why were you silent then?”

“This time, America, Britain and France brought the proposal to declare Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. Except for China, all other countries supported the proposal. China’s step has pained India and its citizens,” Prasad added.

Earlier in the day, reacting to China stalling the listing of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist at the United Nations Security Council, Gandhi tweeted: “Weak Modi is scared of (Chinese president) Xi. Not a word comes out of his mouth when China acts against India.”

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Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s several meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his tenure, Gandhi called it “NoMo’s China Diplomacy” and categorised it into three points. “1. Swing with Xi in Gujarat. 2. Hug Xi in Delhi 3. Bow to Xi in China.”

To this, the BJP replied: “India is undoing all mistakes of your family. China wouldn’t be in UNSC had your great grandfather not ‘gifted’ it to them at India’s cost. Leave it to PM Modi while you keep cosying up with the Chinese envoys secretly.”

On Wednesday, China stalled, at Pakistan’s behest, India’s bid to list Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist at the United Nations Security Council, triggering sharp reactions from the Opposition Congress which accused the government of letting him “go off the hook”.